CHAPTER XL 



To Mrs. Barker. 



Selborne, Jan. 2, 1793. 



Dear Sister, — While Mrs. J. White is employed in knitting, 

 and Mr. Churton in reading and writing, I sit down, as 

 I have usually done at this season of the year, to send 

 Mr. Barker the quantity of rain, and you some account 

 of our welfare. Ned White,* you may have heard, is 

 settled with a banker in London, where he gives satisfaction, 

 and is allowed £50 per ann. Gil. White* has been so 

 unfortunate as to lose his Master, an attorney at Bath, by 

 death, after he had served 3 years ; and what was worse, the 

 man dyed insolvent. By this untoward accident the poor 

 young man has been thrown out of employ for three or four 

 months: but, by the interest of friends, was reinstated in 

 business yesterday with a gentleman at Petersfield,f where 

 he is to stay three years more without premium ; but must 

 pay for his board. The first premium, £200, is all lost! 

 Mr. and Mrs. B. White have lately been with us for a few 

 days, and both seemed very well. Poor Nanny Woods's new- 

 husband is in a dangerous decline. Much used to be said 

 of his bad health for some time past; and therefore it is 

 a pity that the match took place ! D"" Chandler keeps 

 improving the parsonage-house, and therefore, I conclude, has 



* Sons of Henry White. 



t His uncle Gilbert giving £50 towards this arrangement. 

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